Some pelicans like to make an entrance, and this one did it with style. He settled onto the aqua-blue water as gracefully as a feathered ballet dancer, sending soft ripples radiating out around him. The reflection beneath him was so clear it felt like I was getting two pelicans for the price of one—hence the…

On certain afternoons in Florida, the sky starts sending polite little warnings—this was one of them. The beach had turned a soft gray, the water carried a greenish shimmer, and far out on the horizon the clouds were gathering themselves into what looked suspiciously like a committee meeting for a storm. The waves were still…

Some evenings, the Gulf decides to put on a show, and this was one of those performances. The water shifted into deep mauve tones, the sky followed suit, and then—right on cue—the sun dropped toward the horizon in a blaze of molten orange. The clouds around it lit up like glowing embers, which is how…

As the sky drifted into its deep twilight blue, I spotted a graceful crane wading through six inches of water, clearly taking his evening constitutional. The moon was already high, spreading a soft silver shimmer across the waves and giving the beach a calm aqua glow. He paused beside me, lifted one leg in that…

Just as the last traces of daylight slipped away, the moon pushed through a cozy layer of clouds and took its place over the Gulf, glowing like it had been waiting all day for its moment. The waves shimmered in silver, the beach went quiet, and even the seabirds seemed to call it quits early—probably…

One calm afternoon, the shoreline seemed dipped in shades of soft pink, and right in the middle of it stood a flamingo who had clearly mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing. Balanced effortlessly on one leg, he gazed at the water with the quiet confidence of someone who knows he looks fantastic from every…

One warm afternoon, I was standing waist-deep in the Gulf when this very dignified white crane came strutting down the shoreline like he owned the entire beach. Beige sand behind him, gray sand beneath him, blue waves in front of him—he clearly chose the best runway for his walk. He paused, looked straight at me,…

One quiet Saturday afternoon, I was walking along the beach when I spotted one of my favourite locals—Blue Bill, the pelican with the gray feathers, black-tipped wings, a sunshine-yellow head, and of course, that unmistakable blue bill. He was gliding effortlessly over the water, skimming the surface as if he owned the Gulf. I snapped…

I was taking a stroll along the docks when this magnificent pelican caught my eye — mostly because he was staring at me like I was the odd one. After a brief staring contest (which I lost), we quietly agreed to become members of our own little mutual admiration society. He allowed me to take…